Bee-keeping, also known as apiculture, is an ancient agricultural practice that builds and maintains bee habitats. The practice entails the management of honey bee colonies to ensure their productivity, honey production, and pollination. Other synonyms for bee-keeping include apimanagement, bee management, melittology, and apiary science. Apimanagement involves improving bee health and productivity by manipulating colonies and ensuring proper nutrition. Meanwhile, bee management involves understanding and caring for bees, their hives, and their products. Melittology, is a more scientific approach to bee-keeping that focuses on studying bee behavior and the biology of the hive. Finally, apiary science is the study of honeybee behavior and development with a focus on the particular areas of genetics and disease management.